SAULTSTAR: From out of the woods (08/17/2017)

The Sault Ste. Marie artisan appreciates all the possibilities the material offers his creativity.

When he was an apprentice machinist, Dyni put “a big chunk” of birch on his lathe.

“That made a mess, but I made a bowl out of it,” he told The Sault Star. “I've always had the interest.”

He bought a wood lathe from a friend about two decades ago.

“Wood turning is very much like metal turning,” said Dyni of his 30-year trade at Essar Steel Algoma. “It's even a little bit easier.”

He's used his talent to make items for around the house and gifts. The Sault native started attending art sales six years ago. The wood turner will be at Art on the Bay at Voyageurs' Lodge and Cookhouse in Batchawana Bay on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

With two lathes in his garage, Dyni makes bowls ranging in size from two to 11 inches in diameter, decorative hollow forms, wine bottle stoppers, rolling pins, salt and pepper cellars and more.

“I'm trying to make a variety of items that'll keep people looking at my art a little bit longer,” said the American Association of Woodturners member.

More recently, the father of two started to craft magic wands.

“It's been fun to do some different items,” said Dyni. His wands, priced at $20, feature beads and coves to add more detail to his work.

The artisan is also dyeing some of his wood art with yellow, orange, red and blue, or a combination of colours, since last fall.

“I'm really anxious to see how people react to these,” said Dyni.

He gets his ideas from several sources including requests from browsers, the Pinterest website and attending several AAW symposiums.

Dyni partners with Ontario Wood. The province's wood offerings are “some of the nicest,” available he said.

His experience has highlighted softwoods are easier to turn on his lathe, but he's not keen about their grain compared to apple or sugarplum. The grain, after all, “makes the bowl.” His bowls are priced from $10 to $120.

When logging was done near his camp at Old Mill Bay north of the city, Dyni got the OK to check wood left behind. He found burls, knots or balls on a tree, that offer him “unusual colours, unusual hues, different textures, different densities” to work with.

“They make a really interesting bowl,” said Dyni. “One burl is different from the next.”

Dyni registered his business, Be Good Turn Wood, in February. His website, www.begoodturnwood.ca, is under development and expected to launch by mid-September.

Dyni has other ideas he's keen to pursue. He wants to make wood art. Christmas ornaments are also on the way.

“I'm always thinking,” said Dyni. “There's always something new.”

Upcoming appearances for Dyni include Canadian Bushplane Heritage Museum on Nov. 11 from 2 to 8 p.m. and at Sylvan Hall during Sylvan Circle Tour on Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.